Report: a very serious situation with smoking in rural and remote areas - Australia

This report published by the National Health Performance Authority (NHPA) should remind the nation and its governments of the critical and urgent need for effective approaches to reduce rates of smoking in rural and remote areas.

All seven Medicare Local areas with the highest rates of adults who smoke on a daily basis are country regions. Whereas the national average in 2011-12 was 16 per cent, the rate in those seven rural and regional areas varies from 23 to 28 per cent.

Some of the programs currently in operation, particularly those targeted at reducing rates of smoking and its uptake among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, have shown early signs of success. It is imperative that these programs remain in operation with guaranteed support and the successful models extended to additional areas and population groups.

The National Rural Health Alliance is also calling for urgent research and follow-up action to put in place health promotion activities which work well in rural and remote areas. Clearly as a nation we are doing many things right where anti-smoking is concerned but country people are again missing out. 

More information: http://ruralhealth.org.au/media-release/new-report-very-serious-situation-smoking-rural-and-remote-areas  

Report PDF: http://ruralhealth.org.au/sites/default/files/media-files/mr25octnhpareportfinal.pdf